What We Learned from MARVEL's November 2013 Solicitations

By Lucas Siegel, Site Editor August 15, 2013 06:00pm ET

One Event Ends, Another Begins

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In November 2013, Infinity comes to a close, along with a whole bunch of tie-ins. But don't worry, those of you who live for the next big thing, because the Ultimate Universe centered Cataclysm launches in November, meaning your time to wait for another event comic from Marvel is zero months.

But the beginning and ending of events is far from the only news in the November 2013 solicitations from Marvel Comics. We have new writers and artists, series endings, and other major goings-on picked out here, showing you just ten of the biggest news bites from the penultimate month of 2013.

AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 Collects Relevant Appearances

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Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comes to TV in September, and in November, Marvel’s publishing arm gets in on the fun. No, that doesn’t mean an actual S.H.I.E.L.D. ongoing series, but it is a pretty nice primer for comic book fans to give to friends who enjoy the show.

The collection includes major appearances by Nick Fury Jr., Agent Coulson, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s first appearance, and the recruitment of Hawkeye and Black Widow into the newest incarnation of Secret Avengers.

Oddly, two issues (while S.H.I.E.L.D.-centric) of Avenging Spider-Man are included, featuring Doc Ock as Spider-Man. Not the most new-reader friendly inclusion to a book that’s ostensibly for that exact type of customer.

CAPTAIN MARVEL & VENOM M.I.A.

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No new issues of Captain Marvel or Venom are solicited for November 2013. The October issue of CM (pictured) features “The Carol Corps” but is intended, as the solicit says, to show “why this is a fan-beloved series!” Meanwhile, Venom ends a story-arc in October, and the character appears prominently in November’s Superior Spider-Man.

We’ve asked Marvel Comics if these are cancellations or just series on pause, but did not receive a response before press time.

INFINITY: THE HUNT #4 “Seeds Future Event”

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The ever-busy Matt Kindt’s Infinity tie-in “The Hunt” features several young heroes from the Marvel Universe, including people from Wolverine’s Jean Grey School, the Future Foundation, and more. But the series may be much more important than just a tie-in to show what the kids are up to while the adults are off in the far reaches of space.

Turns out, “The seeds of a future Marvel event are planted here!” With this and our next item, could a Marvel event in 2014 center around the youngest Marvels? Regardless, with one teaser line, Marvel has made The Hunt a must-read tie-in.

AVENGERS ARENA ENDS

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Previously, Dennis Hopeless, the writer of Avengers Arena, has referred to the current line-up and story-arc as “Season One” of the series. With two issues in November, the “Boss Level” ends the series. Intriguingly, the solicitation text makes note of both “the surviving contestants” and “two other contestants” – an indication that the “deaths” haven’t been all we’ve been lead to believe.

While there’s no direct mention of a “season two,” this solicitation, like the one we just noted for The Hunt, says it’s “the launch pad for what comes next,” seemingly indicating some existing plans for these other young heroes.

Phil Jimenez on SAVAGE WOLVERINE

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After Jock goes writer-artist on Savage Wolverine, another steps up to the plate: Phil Jimenez. The arc will last two issues, and is called “Come Conquer the Beasts.” Jimenez described the story on Marvel.com as a “very personal” one where Wolverine tackles “politics, culture,” and the poaching culture.

Savage Wolverine is becoming a feature for big-name artists to handle one of Marvel’s most popular characters, with Joe Mad, Jock, and now Jimenez leaving their mark.

NOVA Turns 100, Gets New Writer

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In some solid timing, Nova #10 also happens to be Nova #100. The extra-sized issue will feature the New Warriors, and be a hand-off from current writer Zeb Wells to new writer Gerry Duggan, with individual stories from each.

With Nova as a star on Ultimate Spider-Man and the Nova Corps featured prominently in the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy feature film, expect this new push to continue through 2014.

Palmiotti on DAREDEVIL: DARK KNIGHTS

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After David Lapham’s writer/artist turn on the Daredevil self-contained-story machine, Jimmy Palmiotti is joined by artist Thony Silas for a new story in Daredevil: Dark Knights. Palmiotti’s been increasingly busy, with indies, creator-owned titles, more DC work, and of course, new work at Marvel. No word in the solicitation how many issues his story will be, but the issue is #6 of 8.

The cover is by Amanda Conner, who recently married Palmiotti (congrats, you two!).

Fraction Plotter-Only on FF & F4

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Matt Fraction will not be completing his original story for FF and Fantastic Four as intended. Instead, Karl Kesel will take over scripting duties on Fantastic Four, finishing the plotted story by Fraction and sharing writer credit, and Michael Allred will be joined by his brother, Lee Allred on FF.

While the solicitations show this for November, according to CBR’s Albert Ching (why does that name sound so familiar?), Fraction is joined by co-writers in September’s issues, originally solicited as being solely written by Fraction.

Fraction’s plotted stories, Ching reports, will end in the sixteenth issues of each series.

X-MEN: GOLD Brings Classic Creators Back

Well, yes, they’re all considered classic X-Men writers and artists, but you wouldn’t have seen this one coming: They all have brand-new stories coming in November 2013 for the X-Men’s 50th Anniversary!

In X-Men: Gold #1, this all-star cast (with the proverbial “AND MORE!” also listed on the credits) of creators brings out a 64 page one-shot of “all-new material.” Sounds like an X-Dream come true.

Newsarama Note: Image shown is 70s variant to All-New X-Men #18, as no cover for Gold was available at press time.

MILES MORALES to the Marvel Universe

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Yes, Cataclysm is beginning in earnest in November, with the heroes of the Ultimate Universe teaming up against the Galactus from the regular “616” Marvel Universe. But man, oh man, does that bury the lead.

After the walls of reality weakened – and even broke – with the end of Age of Ultron, we soon found out Galactus was headed to the Ultimate U. But the last line of Cataclysm: The Ultimates Last Stand #2’s solicitation is the real kicker: “MILES MORALES is headed to the Marvel Universe.”

Some have speculated that the Ultimate Universe could end with this big crossover event, and the clues are stacking up. No standard issues of the Ultimate comics are solicited this month, just the first of three-issue mini-series that are linked to Cataclysm. The writer-artist team of Cataclysm, Brian Bendis and Mark Bagley, were the team who started this universe, with Ultimate Spider-Man. And now, we know that Miles Morales, by far the most important/high profile character to come out of the Ultimate U, is making a trip to the Marvel Universe – is it a one-way trip? We only have a few more months to find out for sure.